Auto-register staging channel for staging CLI

src/Aspire.Cli/Commands/IntegrationPackageSearchService.cs

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ internal sealed class IntegrationPackageSearchService(
 
     public async Task<IEnumerable<(NuGetPackage Package, PackageChannel Channel)>> GetIntegrationPackagesWithChannelsAsync(DirectoryInfo workingDirectory, string? configuredChannel, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
     {
-        var allChannels = await packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken);
+        var allChannels = await packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken, configuredChannel);
 
         if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(configuredChannel))
         {

src/Aspire.Cli/Commands/NewCommand.cs

@@ -100,7 +100,8 @@ public NewCommand(
         Options.Add(s_suppressAgentInitOption);
 
         // Customize description based on whether staging channel is enabled
-        var isStagingEnabled = KnownFeatures.IsStagingChannelEnabled(_features, configuration);
+        var isStagingEnabled = KnownFeatures.IsStagingChannelEnabled(_features, configuration)
+            || string.Equals(ExecutionContext.IdentityChannel, PackageChannelNames.Staging, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
         _channelOption = new Option<string?>("--channel")
         {
             Description = isStagingEnabled
@@ -309,9 +310,8 @@ private async Task<ResolveTemplateVersionResult> ResolveCliTemplateVersionAsync(
             NewCommandStrings.ResolvingTemplateVersion,
             async () =>
             {
-                var channels = await _packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken);
-
                 var configuredChannelName = parseResult.GetValue(_channelOption);
+                var channels = await _packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken, configuredChannelName);
 
                 // When no --channel was passed, prefer the channel whose name matches the running
                 // CLI's identity (CliExecutionContext.IdentityChannel — stable, staging, daily,

src/Aspire.Cli/Commands/UpdateCommand.cs

@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ public UpdateCommand(
         AddNonInteractiveRequiresYesValidator(this, s_yesOption);
 
         // Customize description based on whether staging channel is enabled
-        var isStagingEnabled = KnownFeatures.IsStagingChannelEnabled(_features, _configuration);
+        var isStagingEnabled = IsStagingChannelAvailable();
 
         _channelOption = new Option<string?>("--channel")
         {
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ protected override async Task<CommandResult> ExecuteAsync(ParseResult parseResul
 
             var allChannels = await InteractionService.ShowStatusAsync(
                 UpdateCommandStrings.CheckingForUpdates,
-                async () => await _packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken));
+                async () => await _packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken, channelName));
 
             if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(channelName))
             {
@@ -359,6 +359,12 @@ protected override async Task<CommandResult> ExecuteAsync(ParseResult parseResul
         return CommandResult.FromExitCode(0);
     }
 
+    private bool IsStagingChannelAvailable()
+    {
+        return KnownFeatures.IsStagingChannelEnabled(_features, _configuration)
+            || string.Equals(ExecutionContext.IdentityChannel, PackageChannelNames.Staging, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+    }
+
     private async Task<CommandResult> ExecuteSelfUpdateAsync(ParseResult parseResult, CancellationToken cancellationToken, string? selectedChannel = null)
     {
         var channel = selectedChannel ?? parseResult.GetValue(_channelOption) ?? parseResult.GetValue(_qualityOption);
@@ -369,7 +375,7 @@ private async Task<CommandResult> ExecuteSelfUpdateAsync(ParseResult parseResult
         // aspire.config.json, not from any global setting.
         if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(channel))
         {
-            var isStagingEnabled = KnownFeatures.IsStagingChannelEnabled(_features, _configuration);
+            var isStagingEnabled = IsStagingChannelAvailable();
             var channels = isStagingEnabled
                 ? new[] { PackageChannelNames.Stable, PackageChannelNames.Staging, PackageChannelNames.Daily }
                 : new[] { PackageChannelNames.Stable, PackageChannelNames.Daily };

src/Aspire.Cli/KnownFeatures.cs

@@ -120,13 +120,9 @@ public static IEnumerable<string> GetAllFeatureNames()
     /// Note that the channel check reads <c>configuration["channel"]</c> (the layered .NET
     /// configuration — environment variables, command-line, global / per-project
     /// <c>aspire.config.json#channel</c>), NOT
-    /// <see cref="CliExecutionContext.IdentityChannel"/>. The staging channel is an
-    /// opt-in feature: a CLI baked with <c>AspireCliChannel=staging</c> does NOT
-    /// auto-enable staging in the packaging service unless the user has also set the
-    /// configuration value (for example via <c>aspire config set channel staging</c> or
-    /// <c>--channel staging</c>). This is by design — the identity baked into the binary
-    /// is reserved for selecting the correct hive directory, while feature gating goes
-    /// through user-visible configuration.
+    /// <see cref="CliExecutionContext.IdentityChannel"/>. Callers that also need to expose
+    /// staging for a CLI baked with <c>AspireCliChannel=staging</c> should combine this
+    /// helper with an identity-channel check.
     /// </remarks>
     public static bool IsStagingChannelEnabled(IFeatures features, IConfiguration configuration)
     {

src/Aspire.Cli/Packaging/PackagingService.cs

@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@ namespace Aspire.Cli.Packaging;
 
 internal interface IPackagingService
 {
-    public Task<IEnumerable<PackageChannel>> GetChannelsAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken = default);
+    public Task<IEnumerable<PackageChannel>> GetChannelsAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken = default, string? requestedChannelName = null);
 }
 
 internal class PackagingService(CliExecutionContext executionContext, INuGetPackageCache nuGetPackageCache, IFeatures features, IConfiguration configuration, ILogger<PackagingService> logger) : IPackagingService
 {
-    public Task<IEnumerable<PackageChannel>> GetChannelsAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
+    public Task<IEnumerable<PackageChannel>> GetChannelsAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken = default, string? requestedChannelName = null)
     {
         var defaultChannel = PackageChannel.CreateImplicitChannel(nuGetPackageCache, logger);
 
@@ -62,10 +62,18 @@ public Task<IEnumerable<PackageChannel>> GetChannelsAsync(CancellationToken canc
 
         var channels = new List<PackageChannel>([defaultChannel, stableChannel]);
 
-        // Add staging channel if feature is enabled (after stable, before daily)
-        if (KnownFeatures.IsStagingChannelEnabled(features, configuration))
+        // Add staging channel after stable and before daily. Staging CLI builds should
+        // dogfood staging packages even before a project-level channel pin exists, and
+        // callers that already resolved a staging channel from another project directory
+        // need the channel materialized before they can match it below.
+        var stagingChannelConfigured = string.Equals(configuration["channel"], PackageChannelNames.Staging, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+        var stagingChannelRequested = string.Equals(requestedChannelName, PackageChannelNames.Staging, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+        var stagingIdentityChannel = string.Equals(executionContext.IdentityChannel, PackageChannelNames.Staging, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+        var stagingFeatureEnabled = features.IsFeatureEnabled(KnownFeatures.StagingChannelEnabled, false);
+        if (stagingFeatureEnabled || stagingChannelConfigured || stagingChannelRequested || stagingIdentityChannel)
         {
-            var stagingChannel = CreateStagingChannel();
+            var defaultQuality = stagingChannelConfigured || stagingChannelRequested || stagingIdentityChannel ? PackageChannelQuality.Both : PackageChannelQuality.Stable;
+            var stagingChannel = CreateStagingChannel(defaultQuality);
             if (stagingChannel is not null)
             {
                 channels.Add(stagingChannel);
@@ -79,9 +87,9 @@ public Task<IEnumerable<PackageChannel>> GetChannelsAsync(CancellationToken canc
         return Task.FromResult<IEnumerable<PackageChannel>>(channels);
     }
 
-    private PackageChannel? CreateStagingChannel()
+    private PackageChannel? CreateStagingChannel(PackageChannelQuality defaultQuality)
     {
-        var stagingQuality = GetStagingQuality();
+        var stagingQuality = GetStagingQuality(defaultQuality);
         var hasExplicitFeedOverride = !string.IsNullOrEmpty(configuration["overrideStagingFeed"]);
 
         // When quality is Prerelease or Both and no explicit feed override is set,
@@ -153,7 +161,7 @@ public Task<IEnumerable<PackageChannel>> GetChannelsAsync(CancellationToken canc
         return $"https://pkgs.dev.azure.com/dnceng/public/_packaging/darc-pub-microsoft-aspire-{truncatedHash}/nuget/v3/index.json";
     }
 
-    private PackageChannelQuality GetStagingQuality()
+    private PackageChannelQuality GetStagingQuality(PackageChannelQuality defaultQuality)
     {
         // Check for configuration override
         var overrideQuality = configuration["overrideStagingQuality"];
@@ -166,8 +174,9 @@ private PackageChannelQuality GetStagingQuality()
             }
         }
 
-        // Default to Stable if not specified or invalid
-        return PackageChannelQuality.Stable;
+        // Preserve the historical safe fallback for invalid override values while allowing
+        // different staging entry points to choose a better default when no override is set.
+        return string.IsNullOrEmpty(overrideQuality) ? defaultQuality : PackageChannelQuality.Stable;
     }
 
     private string? GetStagingPinnedVersion(bool useSharedFeed)

src/Aspire.Cli/Projects/DotNetBasedAppHostServerProject.cs

@@ -325,9 +325,9 @@ private XDocument CreateProjectFile(IEnumerable<IntegrationReference> integratio
             File.Copy(userNugetConfig, nugetConfigPath, overwrite: true);
         }
 
-        var channels = await _packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken);
         var configuredChannelName = AspireConfigFile.Load(_appPath)?.Channel
             ?? AspireJsonConfiguration.Load(_appPath)?.Channel;
+        var channels = await _packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken, configuredChannelName);
 
         // Resolve channel sources and add them via RestoreAdditionalProjectSources
         // This is additive — it preserves the user's nuget.config and adds channel-specific sources

src/Aspire.Cli/Projects/GuestAppHostProject.cs

@@ -1192,10 +1192,19 @@ public async Task<UpdatePackagesResult> UpdatePackagesAsync(UpdatePackagesContex
                 return packageUpdates;
             });
 
+        var explicitChannelName = context.Channel.Type == Packaging.PackageChannelType.Explicit ? context.Channel.Name : null;
+        var explicitChannelChanged = explicitChannelName is not null && !string.Equals(config.Channel, explicitChannelName, StringComparisons.CliInputOrOutput);
+
         if (updates.Count == 0 && newSdkVersion is null)
         {
+            if (explicitChannelChanged)
+            {
+                config.Channel = explicitChannelName;
+                SaveConfiguration(config, directory);
+            }
+
             _interactionService.DisplayMessage(KnownEmojis.CheckMarkButton, UpdateCommandStrings.ProjectUpToDateMessage);
-            return new UpdatePackagesResult { UpdatesApplied = false };
+            return new UpdatePackagesResult { UpdatesApplied = explicitChannelChanged };
         }
 
         // Display pending updates
@@ -1221,17 +1230,14 @@ public async Task<UpdatePackagesResult> UpdatePackagesAsync(UpdatePackagesContex
         {
             config.SdkVersion = newSdkVersion;
         }
-        // Persist the channel only when the update resolved an explicit channel (--channel,
-        // per-project config, or prompt selection). When the resolved channel is Implicit
-        // — i.e. the user hasn't pinned a channel — leave the project's existing setting
-        // untouched rather than silently pinning the running CLI's identity, which would
-        // propagate dev/PR-build identities into the project file. The scaffolding /
-        // build-time paths intentionally do auto-pin identity (see GuestAppHostProject.cs:354
-        // and ScaffoldingService.cs:208) — but `aspire update` is a no-pin path: the user
-        // is updating, not initialising, and we should not change the channel pin state.
-        if (context.Channel.Type == Packaging.PackageChannelType.Explicit)
+        // Persist the channel when update resolved an explicit channel. That can come from
+        // --channel, per-project/global config, prompt selection, or the UpdateCommand
+        // identity-channel fallback for non-project-reference AppHosts. When the resolved
+        // channel is Implicit — i.e. no explicit channel source matched — leave the project's
+        // existing setting untouched rather than pinning the implicit/default channel.
+        if (explicitChannelName is not null)
         {
-            config.Channel = context.Channel.Name;
+            config.Channel = explicitChannelName;
         }
         foreach (var (packageId, _, newVersion) in updates)
         {

src/Aspire.Cli/Projects/PrebuiltAppHostServer.cs

@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ internal static string GenerateIntegrationProjectFile(
 
         try
         {
-            var channels = await _packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken);
+            var channels = await _packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken, requestedChannel);
 
             IEnumerable<PackageChannel> explicitChannels;
             if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(requestedChannel))
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ internal static string GenerateIntegrationProjectFile(
             return null;
         }
 
-        var channels = await _packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken);
+        var channels = await _packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken, requestedChannel);
         var channel = channels.FirstOrDefault(c =>
             c.Type == PackageChannelType.Explicit &&
             c.Mappings is { Length: > 0 } &&

src/Aspire.Cli/Templating/TemplateNuGetConfigService.cs

@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public async Task PromptToCreateOrUpdateNuGetConfigAsync(string? channelName, st
             return;
         }
 
-        var channels = await packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken);
+        var channels = await packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken, channelName);
         var matchingChannel = channels.FirstOrDefault(c =>
             string.Equals(c.Name, channelName, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase));
 
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ public async Task<bool> CreateOrUpdateNuGetConfigWithoutPromptAsync(string? chan
             return false;
         }
 
-        var channels = await packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken);
+        var channels = await packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken, channelName);
         var matchingChannel = channels.FirstOrDefault(c =>
             string.Equals(c.Name, channelName, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase));
 
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ public async Task<bool> CreateOrUpdateNuGetConfigWithoutPromptAsync(string? chan
     /// <exception cref="EmptyChoicesException">Thrown when no template package versions are available across the considered channels.</exception>
     public async Task<TemplatePackageSelection> ResolveTemplatePackageAsync(TemplatePackageQuery query, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
     {
-        var allChannels = await packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken);
+        var allChannels = await packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken, query.RequestedChannel);
 
         // Honor PR hives only when the caller opts in. Init suppresses this so a developer
         // with stale ~/.aspire/hives/* doesn't get a different template than on a clean machine.

src/Aspire.Cli/Utils/CliDownloader.cs

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ internal class CliDownloader(
     public async Task<string> DownloadLatestCliAsync(string channelName, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
     {
         // Get the channel information from PackagingService
-        var channels = await packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken);
+        var channels = await packagingService.GetChannelsAsync(cancellationToken, channelName);
         var channel = channels.FirstOrDefault(c => c.Name.Equals(channelName, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase));
 
         if (channel is null)